Chapter 5 Summary

Orwell and his militia unit occupy the Huesca front. The Fascist forces are 1200 meters distant, making any rifle fire useless. The front is stagnant and devoid of activity until late March, when the attack on Huesca begins. The soldiers suffer from the intense cold, and food becomes scarce.

The remainder of Chapter Five is devoted to a general outline of the start of the war, and a fairly detailed analysis of the politics in Catalonia during the period covered by the book. General Francisco France, backed by the Spanish aristocracy and the Catholic Church, attempted to seize power from the legitimately elected government. The government was supported by some loyal government troops, but other troops defected to Franco. The Spanish working classes and liberal bourgeoisie also support the government. In the initial stages of the civil war, the peasants seized large areas of...